Moomers

Our time here in NW Michigan is coming to an end for yet another season. Next Monday September 20 we will depart for the Southwest to escape the revenges of another Michigan winter.

However, we could not leave without a last visit to our favorite summer "watering hole", Moomers Ice-Cream parlor.

Voted "Best Ice-Cream in America" in an ABC "Good Morning America" contest, Moomers specializes in homemade "farm fresh" Ice Cream from their adjacent creamery and dairy farm.
In our frequent trips to Traverse City from our summer home here in Cedar we usually take a route that will take us past their store. In the dead of summer there is usually a line snaking out the door but the wait is well worth it. With over 100 flavors to pick from the most difficult part of the visit is deciding what flavor to try. At the beginning of last summer I vowed to try every flavor but in the last two years I haven't made much progress. Reasons being that...
1.  I keep going back to my favorites.
2.  They keep adding to and/or changing the flavors.
3.  The calories, OMG the calories.

Oh well, It was a noble aspiration.

Here we are on our final stop of the summer of 2010 on our way back from a Traverse City grocery run.
Me with German Chocolate and Teddy with Butter Pecan.

Following is a listing of their advertised flavors
In addition they will make custom flavors by request.

Flavor Descriptions

• Amaretto Cherry - amaretto flavored ice cream with real halved Northern Michigan black sweet cherries, cherry swirl and chocolate chips
• Apple Crisp - dutch apple pie flavored ice cream with chunks of fresh homemade apple crisp
• Apricot - Apricot flavored ice cream with fresh apricots
• BPSwirl - peanut butter flavored ice cream with peanut butter swirl and pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter cups
• Banana Bread - Banana flavored ice cream with homemade banana bread pieces
• Banana Peanut Butter - Banana flavored ice cream with peanut butter swirl
• Bear Paw - chocolate ice cream with a caramel swirl and chocolate covered cashews
• Black Cherry - black cherry ice cream with halved Northern Michigan black sweet cherries
• Black Raspberry - Black Raspberry flavored ice cream with a black raspberry swirl
• Blue Moon - blue moon flavored ice cream
• Blue Raspberry - blue raspberry flavored ice cream
• Bubble Gum - Bubble Gum flavored ice cream with pink bubble gum flavored dip swirl
• Brownie Batter - brownie batter flavored ice cream with brownie pieces
• Butter Brickle - Toffee flavored ice cream with toffee brickle pieces
• Butter Pecan - butter pecan ice cream with halves & pieces of butter roasted and salted pecans
• Caramel Apple - caramel flavored ice cream with a caramel apple swirl
• Carrot Cake - carrot cake flavored ice cream with pieces of carrot cake and cream cheese frosting swirl
• Cheesecake(blueberry, cherry, raspberry, caramel apple, pumpkin, lemon, strawberry, turtle) - cheesecake flavored ice cream with the fresh fruit pieces or swirls throughout and chunks of real New York cheesecake
• Cherry Brandy - Cherry brandy flavored ice cream with a cherry swirl
• Cherries Moobilee - black cherry flavored ice cream with chunks of black sweet cherries, red tart cherries, chocolate fudge swirl and chunks of homemade brownie pieces
• Cherry Pie ala Mode - Vanilla ice cream with pieces of our made from scatch cherry pie pieces
• Cherry Praline Pecan* - cherry flavored ice cream with local black sweet cherries and candied praline pecans
• Chip Chocolate - chocolate ice cream with white chocolate chips
• Chocolate - Moomers homemade premium chocolate ice cream
• Chocolate Almond Brownie - chocolate ice cream with chunks of homemade brownies and pieces of fresh butter roasted and salted almonds
• Chocolate Cabernet - chocolate ice cream with a bottle of local Cabernet wine
• Chocolate Caramel - chocolate ice cream with creamy caramel swirl
• Chocolate Caramel Nut - chocolate ice cream with fresh roasted and salted Spanish peanuts and creamy caramel swirl
• Chocolate Cherry Pecan - chocolate ice cream with chopped chocolate covered dried cherries and roasted pecans
• Chocolate Chip - vanilla ice cream with miniature chocolate chips
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - vanilla ice cream with pieces and chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough
• Chocolate Chocolate Chip - chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips
• Chocolate Chocolate Waffle Cone - chocolate ice cream with pieces of broken chocolate dipped waffle cones
• Chocolate Cookie Monster - chocolate ice cream with Oreo cookie crumbs and chocolate chip cookie dough
• Chocolate Malt* - chocolate ice cream flavored with malt extract
• Chocolate No Bake - chocolate ice cream with homemade pieces of no bake cookies
• Chocolate Nuts To You - chocolate ice cream with loads of roasted almonds, butter roasted pecans, pistachios, walnuts, spanish peanuts and cashews
• Chocolate Orange - chocolate ice cream with an orange juice background
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Chunk - chocolate ice cream with pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and creamy peanut butter swirl
• Chocolate Raspberry Cabernet - chocolate ice cream flavored with a bottle of local cabernet wine
• Chocolate Raspberry Chunk - chocolate ice cream with raspberry swirl and chocolate flakes
• Chocolate Silk - a light chocolate/caramel flavored ice cream
• Chocolate Turtle - chocolate ice cream with swirls of chocolate and caramel and pecans
• Cinnamon - cinnamon ice cream
• Cinnamon Bourbon* - cinnamon ice cream with 1/5 bourbon per 10 gallons
• Cinnamon Pumpkin Crisp - cinnamon ice cream with pieces of pumpkin crisp
• Coconut Almond Delight - coconut ice cream with flecks of sweetened coconut, miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips and pieces of fresh butter roasted and salted almonds
• Coffee Caramel - coffee caramel ice cream with a rich caramel swirl
• Coffee Toffee - coffee ice cream with pieces of Heath candy bar
• Coffee Fudge Swirl - coffee flavored ice cream with a chocolate fudge swirl
• Cookie Monster - vanilla ice cream with Oreo cookie crumbs and chocolate chip cookie dough
• Cookies & Cream - vanilla ice cream with Oreo cookie crumbs
• Cosmo - chocolate ice cream with swirls of chocolate fudge, marshmallow and caramel
• Cotton Candy - cotton candy flavored ice cream (color may vary)
• Cow Tracks - vanilla ice cream with pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and chocolate fudge swirl
• Cranberry Walnut - cranberry flavored ice cream with cranberries and walnuts
• Creamsicle - vanilla ice cream swirled with orange sherbet
• Cupcake - cake batter flavored ice cream with pieces of "cake pieces" and rainbow sprinkles
• Double Chocolate - (raspberry, cherry, chunk) a dark double chocolate ice cream can be used for a base for any chocolate flavors, with the fruit swirl
• Egg Nog - egg nog flavored ice cream with nutmeg
• French Vanilla - french vanilla ice cream
• German Chocolate - chocolate ice cream with chunks of homemade brownies, caramel-praline swirl, butter roasted and salted pecans and flaked coconut
• Ginger* - ginger flavored ice cream with grated gingerroot
• Ginger Snap - ginger flavored ice cream with pieces of ginger snaps
• Grasshopper - crème de menthe ice cream sprinkled with pieces of Oreo cookies
• Green Tea* - green tea flavored ice cream
• Irish Coffee - Irish cream flavored ice cream with irish cream liquor
• Just Caramel - caramel flavored ice cream with caramel swirl and pieces of chocolate covered waffle cone
• Lemon Custard - lemon custard ice cream
• Lemon Dream - a refreshing lemon flavored ice cream with lemon zest
• Lemon Poppyseed Muffin - lemon dream flavored ice cream with lemon poppyseed muffin pieces
• Licorice - black licorice flavored ice cream (white ice cream)
• Mango - mango flavored ice cream with mango puree
• Maple Walnut - Maple flavored ice cream with walnuts throughout
• Marshmallow - marshmallow flavored ice cream
• Mint Chocolate Chip - crème de menthe ice cream sprinkled with miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Mocha Almond Fudge - mocha ice cream with fresh butter roasted and salted almonds and chocolate fudge swirl
• Mocha Mudslide* - mocha flavored ice cream with caramel swirl, chocolate swirl and chocolate flakes
• Mooberry - vanilla ice cream with red raspberry and tart cherries swirled throughout
• Mr. Monkey Tail - banana flavored ice cream with crushed peanuts and a chocolate swirl
• No-Bake Cookie - vanilla ice cream with chunks of homemade no-bake cookies
• North Star Hat Trick* - white marshmallow, wild cherry and blue raspberry ice creams swirled together
• Nuts To You - hazelnut ice cream with loads of roasted almonds, butter roasted pecans, pistachios, walnuts, spanish peanuts and cashews
• Oatmeal Cookie - cinnamon flavored ice cream with homemade oatmeal cookie pieces
• Orange Pineapple - orange pineapple ice cream with bits and pieces of orange and pineapple
• Oreo Mint Meltdown - mint flavored ice cream with Oreo cookie bits and chocolate fudge swirl
• Peach - peach ice cream with bits and pieces of peaches
• Peach Reisling - Peach ice cream with bits and pieces of peach and a bottle of local reisling wine
• Peanut Butter Oreo - peanut butter ice cream with Oreos cookie pieces
• Peanut Butter No-Bake - peanut butter ice cream with no-bake cookie pieces
• Peppermint Stick - white peppermint ice cream with pieces of red and green peppermint candy
• Pink Peppermint Fudge - pink peppermint flavored ice cream with a chocolate swirl and red and green pieces of peppermint candy
• Pistachio - pistachio with fresh roasted and salted pistachio nuts
• Play Dough - blue moon flavored ice cream with pieces of brightly colored sugar cookie dough
• Pralines and Cream - french vanilla ice cream with fresh butter roasted and salted pecans and creamy caramel-praline swirl
• Pretzels Plus - vanilla ice cream with pieces of yogurt and chocolate covered pretzels and a caramel swirl
• Pumpkin - pumpkin ice cream made with canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices
• Pumpkin Chip - pumpkin flavored ice cream with chocolate chips
• Pumpkin Roll - pumpkin flavored ice cream with a cream cheese frosting swirl and cake pieces
• Raspberry Chocolate Chip - raspberry ice cream sprinkled with miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Raspberry Truffle* - Vanilla ice cream with a raspberry swirl and raspberry filled chocolate cups
• Raspberry White Chocolate - white chocolate ice cream sprinkled with miniature white chocolate chips and fresh raspberry swirl
• Red Pop - red pop flavored ice cream
• Rice Pudding - vanilla ice cream with real homemade rice pudding, golden raisins and cinnamon
• Rocky Road - chocolate ice cream with marshmallow swirl, miniature marshmallows and Spanish peanuts
• Rum Raisin - rum flavored ice cream with rum soaked gold raisins(made with real rum if requested)
• Russ' Cookie Jar - vanilla ice cream with pieces of broken cookies
• Sherbet - flavorful orange, lime, cherry lemon or red raspberry sherbet
• Smore - vanilla ice cream with a marshmallow swirl, graham cracker pieces and cream filled chocolate cows
• Sorbet - red raspberry, peach, orange, strawberry, lemon, lime, cherry, a non-dairy product)
• Spumoni - an exquisite combination of chocolate rum, pistachio and cherry ice creams, swirls of marshmallow and plentiful chunks of pineapple, maraschino cherries, mixed nuts and pistachios
• Sticky Bun - light cinnamon ice cream with chunks of homemade sticky buns and cream cheese swirl
• Strawberry - strawberry ice cream with pieces of fresh strawberry swirled throughout
• SuperMoo - blue, red and yellow flavored ice cream Flavors may vary
• Sweet Tart - vanilla ice cream with local black sweet cherries and local tart cherries
• Toasted Coconut - toasted coconut flavored ice cream with toasted coconut and macadamia nuts
• Toffee Heath - toffee flavored ice cream with Heath candy bar pieces
• Vanilla - Moomers homemade premium vanilla ice cream
• Vanilla Fleck - Moomers homemade premium vanilla ice cream with vanilla bean fleck
• Vanilla Malt* - vanilla ice cream flavored with malt extract
• Very Cherry - wild cherry flavored ice cream with chunks of Northern Michigan black sweet cherries, red tart cherries and maraschino cherries
• White Chocolate Oreo - White chocolate flavored ice cream with pieces of Oreos

Next May when we return for another summer, Moomers is sure to be one of our first stops.  ;-)

Summertime is tomato sandwich time!

One of my favorite summertime treats is a big sloppy, with juice running down your arms, tomato sandwich made with fresh ripe tomatos straight from the garden.
Through the years I have perfected what I consider to be the ultimate tomato sandwich as follows:


A. The Ingredients

1. Tomatoes: You must start with a summer-ripened tomato. Any color will do, but it has to be dead-ripe, succulent, and bursting with juice. It should never be refrigerated. 

2. Mayonnaise:  You need mayonnaise, NOT ‘Miracle Whip’…Miracle Whip is a nice condiment for making potato salad but should never be used on sandwiches as it’s strong flavor overpowers the other fillings. I f you don’t have any mayo on hand, STOP now and go to the store and get some. Mayo is part of the magic of a perfect tomato sandwich.

3. Bread: Two lightly toasted slices of that soft and squishy bread that you never admit buying. You don’t want highly flavored bread that detracts from the filling.  

4. Onion: Sweet onion sliced, preferably Vidalias if in season.

5. Last but not least, salt.

B The Assembly:

While the bread is toasting, use your sharpest knife (if you don’t have a Cutco #1721, you should get one it is the best tomato slicing knife in existance) to slice it vertically in 1/2 inch slices & then cut off the tops of the slices that have bellybuttons where the stem was. Peel the onion and slice it horizontally in 1/8th inch slices. Slather the mayonnaise on both slices of the toast, making sure it flows all the way to the edges, perhaps with an artful drip over the edge. Artfully fit the tomatoes onto the toast cutting it to fit the best you can. Lightly salt, put the top on and VOLA!

C The Eating:

Sandwich in hand, you may now move to the sink and start eating. Grasp the sandwich with both hands, shielding the backside as the tomatoes sometimes try to escape by squishing out the back. Have plenty of napkins or paper towels handy, as the juice will run down your chin or your hands. Optionally put your sandwich on a plate and eat at the table, don’t forget the paper towels.

The first bite is all about texture—the soft bread, the velvety emulsion of mayonnaise, the luscious tomato, bursting with juice – a unique and wonderful sensory experience. By the third bite, be ready for the harmony of flavors in which yeasty bread, creamy mayonnaise, crisp onions and tart-acid-sweet tomato come together, accentuated with the salt. Don’t hurry. Savor the flavors.

Tomato sandwiches are about as basic as you can get, every one of them is delicious. In the summer I eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or in between. And every last one of them is perfect. At dinner the perfect accompaniment is a cob of fresh buttered & salted sweet corn.